Agave titanota
chalk agave
A medium-sized, evergreen, succulent plant, which forms a solitary rosette when young, but may produce offsets when mature. Leaves have ferocious-looking, curved and twisting light-brown, marginal spines, the bases of which often fuse along the leaf margins. There is also a long twisting spine at the leaf-tip. The plant is monocarpic and dies after flowering and setting seed. The flowers are yellow and are produced on a spike 3-6m in height
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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green | |||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter | Green |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H1CBotanical details
- Family
- Asparagaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Bushy
- Potentially harmful
- Skin irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs, cats): harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Agave can be perennial or monocarpic succulents, forming rosettes of usually rigid, fleshy, spiny-edged leaves, with funnel-shaped flowers in racemes or panicles often much taller than the rosettes
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Under glass, grow in a sharply-draining, peat-free, loam-based compost with extra sharp sand, or a proprietary, peat-free cactus compost in full sunlight. Water freely during the growing season from spring to autumn but allowing the compost to dry out before watering again. Water more sparingly in winter when the plant is dormant. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further information
Propagation
Propagate by seed in spring at 21°C or from offsets in summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Sub-tropical
- Patio and container plants
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to scale insects
Diseases
Generally disease-free but may be susceptible to root rot in wet soils
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.